The subject invention relates to a running board of the type attached to the side of an automotive vehicle, such as a pick-up truck, for carrying the weight of a person entering the vehicle as the person steps upon the running board.
Numerous running board assemblies are known to allow the convenient access to light trucks and vans. Such running board assemblies include an elongated stepping platform having an upper surface and a lower surface extending between opposite ends along a longitudinal axis and laterally between outer and inner edges. Frequently, a plurality of mount projections are integral with and extend laterally from the inner edge of the platform and presenting a bottom surface and a mounting surface for supporting the platform on a vehicle. Various ones of such assemblies are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos 4,311,320 to Waters, 4,557,494 to Elwell, 5,193,829 to Holloway et al., 5,286,049 to Khan, 5,511,750 to Evenson, 5,713,589 to Delgado et al. and 5,382,035 to Waddington et al. Since the platform of the running board is cantilevered outwardly from the vehicle, a moment arm is established on the platform to create high stresses at the point about which the cantilevered platform is urged to rotate by loads thereon. It is, therefore, difficult to provide a structure wherein the running board and the mounting projections can be made of an integral or one piece of organic polymeric material with the projections having the requisite strength for resisting the moments on the platform.
There is a continuous need to provide an improved running board assembly which is easily installed, light weight and economically manufactured yet retain the requisite strength for supporting vehicle passengers.
The running board of the subject invention provides an improved running board assembly which is easily installed, light weight and economically manufactured and retains the requisite strength for supporting vehicle passengers when stepping on the board.
The running board assembly of the subject invention is adapted for attachment to the side of a vehicle and comprises an elongated stepping platform having an upper surface and a lower surface extending between opposite ends along a longitudinal axis and laterally between outer and inner edges. A plurality of mount projections are integral with and extend laterally from the inner edge of the platform and present a bottom surface and a mounting surface for supporting the platform on a vehicle. The assembly is characterized by a projection-reinforcing rib integral with and extending from the bottom of each of the mount projections.
Accordingly, the subject invention provides a running board platform with integral mount projections having the requisite strength to resist moments on the cantilevered platform as the platform carries the weight of vehicle passengers.